LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD EXPANDS MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER
August 27, 2007
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The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award will add men’s and women’s soccer to its growing list of NCAA sports that are included in the national award program dedicated to senior student athletes.
The award, presented annually to the outstanding NCAA Division I senior student athlete in selected intercollegiate sports, celebrates both on-field and off-field achievements.
In addition to the core requirement that the candidate be a NCAA Division I senior, the finalists and eventual winner will be selected based on personal qualities that define a complete student athlete. These areas of excellence are defined under the categories of Classroom, Character, Community and Competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was created in 2001 to address the trend of basketball underclassmen leaving school early. The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award has expanded its scope over time and has become the nation’s premier award for college seniors. Lowe’s added four NCAA sports to the program during the 2006-07 academic school year – baseball, softball, men’s hockey and men’s lacrosse. The addition of men’s and women’s soccer this year brings the total sports in the awards program to eight.
“The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award has become a resounding success and our goal is to consistently increase the number of college sports in the program so we can honor more and more student athletes.” said Bob Gfeller, Lowe’s senior vice president of marketing and advertising. “Soccer is certainly one of America’s fastest growing sports, so it’s a natural choice for inclusion in the program.”
An initial list of 30 candidates for men’s and women’s soccer will be announced in early September. A Selection Committee will choose ten finalists midway through the college soccer season and those names will appear on the official ballot. The winner will be selected by a nationwide voting system that includes media, coaches, fans and sponsors. The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for soccer will be presented to each winner during the NCAA Championships in December.
“The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award promotes the value of senior leadership and the rewards that a complete college career can bring for both the student athlete and their school.” Gfeller said. “At Lowe’s, we want to help young people build careers. The attributes recognized by this award encourage a well-rounded student athlete, which will be valuable regardless of the career they pursue.”
Lowe’s is an official NCAA Corporate Partner. The award is managed by Premier Sports Management and promoted by CBS and ESPN.
